Yoga Zone - Posture for Pregnancy

Alan Finger

I was really excited to get this video, and that might be part of the reason why I am a little bit disappointed.

The number one reason this video did not meet my expectations is it is really boring - no music. I love the music on most yoga tapes, they are so relaxing, but this video has absolutely no music. If I do it again I'm just going to get some background music going.

The other reason I'm a little disapointed is because this tape didn't get me as relaxed as most yoga tapes. I love the sensation of lying still after doing yoga and feeling the renewed feeling of circulation, etc. I didn't get that after this tape.

The poses that are used are safe, explained well and demonstrated well, but the entertainment value of this video is very limited. I think the production quality could have been upgraded to make it more enjoyable to follow along.

But there are a couple of poses that I question as being safe. There are two poses done laying flat on your back. At just 16 weeks pregnant, I did them, but it won't be long until I would fast forward this section because it puts too much pressure on the back.

Overall, if you need a video to demonstrate how to do a lot of poses safely while pregnant, than this video is worth it. But I'm only going to do it a couple more times and then practice to background music, without the video.

Instructor comments: He is a great instructor. Alan explains all the poses, the benefits from the poses, and reassures you not to overdo it. He is pleasant to listen to.

Julianne10/20/98

I enjoyed this video more than Julianne did, but I will concede it isn't as interesting as the best yoga videos--those with relaxing music, gorgeous sets and cinematography, and flowing patterns of poses are better at holding my interest. Still, this video is worth a look for women who want a yoga tape designed for pregnancy.

I think this would be a great tape for a pregnant woman who had never
done yoga before. Alan and his wife say you can do this tape from the very beginning up until the end, and with one exception, I'd agree. There are 2 lying supine poses that he specifically says some women, esp. after the 5th month will not be able to do, so skip them. Like Julianne, I wondered why they bothered to include them in the first place.

There is a LOT of instruction in this video, and it has the feel of what I'd
imagine a prenatal yoga class to be like (the instructor, Alan,
leading his wife through the poses, constantly pointing out form tips
and explaining why a particular exercise is good for pregnant women). Alan
doesn't assume you know anything about yoga. Most of the poses are
quite basic, but modifications are shown on any pose that requires a
good amount of flexibility. Actually the modified pose is normally the one they
show, and variations shown are typically for the MORE flexible.

The video's primary goals are to help pregnant women relaxation, release tension, and improve flexibility for labor. There are no strenuous moves or ones that I
would consider yoga "strength" moves. I like this approach because it suits my own needs. The breathing section at the beginning addresses the fact that there's
less room to take the traditional yogic breaths and explains how to work within
that limitation.

If I were not pregnant, I would probably find this video annoyingly
slow (as Julianne found), but I'm more forgiving during pregnancy, and willing to take things more slowly. This is a time when I want more pointers and instruction. I have tried doing my other favorite yoga videos, but get frustrated when I come to poses I know I'm not supposed to do or that aren't comfortable (inverted poses, bow pose, supine poses), so I prefer having a yoga video specifically designed for pregnancy. I'm afraid I'm not very disciplined about modifying yoga videos. I end up just stopping the tape at those points.

The set is pretty sparse--like a bedroom with 2 windows, some
large pillows on the floor, and a large rug.

All in all, this isn't my dream pregnancy yoga video, but I think it will make a good addition to my repertoire as I head into the second half of my pregnancy.